steam train trips from kings cross

Scotland Tours from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and London

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• Edinburgh, Skye and ...

• Jacobite Steam Train
• Inverness Castle
• Isle of Skye

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Edinburgh, Skye and Jacobite Steam Train Experience - 5 day tour

Edinburgh, Skye and Jacobite Steam Train 5 day/4 night

Speed to Edinburgh by express train, then see the city sights by hop-on, hop-off tour and visit the mighty castle. The next day enjoy more time in Edinburgh before taking a scenic train journey through the beautiful Scottish Highlands. Based in Inverness, enjoy a full-day excursion to the scenic Isle of Skye and fairytale Eilean Donan castle. Undoubtedly the highlight is a memorable trip on the West Highland Railway Line aboard the Jacobite Steam Train, the real Hogwarts Express. Return directly to London by high-speed train.   

Express Train  - enjoy a comfortable journey with reserved seats between London and Edinburgh

Edinburgh - get the best views and visit mighty Edinburgh Castle on a hop-on, hop-off tour

Inverness - unwind with a relaxing three-night stay in the Highland Capital

Isle of Skye - see the weird landscapes of Trotternish, visit the delightful port town of Portree and marvel at the towering Cuillin mountain range   

Jacobite Steam Train - all aboard for a scenic trip on the real Hogwarts Express

Movie locations  - Harry Potter, Highlander and Fast and Furious

Hotel accommodation included

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Full Tour Itinerary

Select Day:

Day 1 - London - Edinburgh - Discovering Edinburgh

The whistle blows, and your  express train  glides out of Kings Cross Station in the heart of London, bound for Edinburgh. As you speed northwards to the Scottish Capital, you’ll travel through the Viking City of York,  Durham , famed for its magnificent Cathedral and bustling Newcastle, which straddles the River Tyne. 

During the journey, enjoy free WiFi and access to the onboard buffet, where tasty food and drink can be purchased. It will typically take under 4 hours and 30 minutes to reach Edinburgh. 

On arrival in Edinburgh, it’s a short walk to your city centre hotel, and after you’ve checked in, Scotland’s Capital City is waiting to be discovered. 

Join an open-top bus tour to see many of Edinburgh’s most famous attractions, including the historic  Grassmarket , where many gruesome tales are told. Travel along the wide streets of the Georgian New Town to see grand squares before heading into the medieval Old Town; both these areas have been designated  UNESCO World Heritage Sites . 

Hop off to explore mighty Edinburgh Castle and see the Scottish Crown Jewels, known as the Honours of Scotland , and the ancient Stone of Destiny. 

When ready, hop aboard the next tour bus to continue your sightseeing adventure. 

The remainder of the day is at leisure. 

Overnight: Motel One, Edinburgh (or similar)

Day 2 - Edinburgh - The Highland Line - Inverness

Edinburgh is the World’s first UNESCO City of Literature, so after breakfast, why not head out to discover some of its literary connections?

Enjoy a coffee in the café where JK Rowling penned her first Harry Potter novel or visit the historic Greyfriars Kirkyard , where the names on the gravestones gave her the inspiration for the names of her characters. 

At lunchtime, make for the railway station to join the ScotRail Inter7City train bound for Inverness. Get ready for a beautiful journey as the Highland mainline is considered one of the most scenic in Scotland.

Travel from Edinburgh northwards towards Stirling, with its grand castle standing guard over the city. Next, travel through Gleneagles station, which serves the famous golfing resort , then across Strathearn to Perth. 

“Highland Perthshire” boasts a landscape of towering trees and fast-flowing rivers. After calling at historic Dunkeld and Birnham station, we follow the Rivers Tay and Tummel to arrive at Pitlochry , a pleasant Victorian resort town. 

The train will make the ascent through Glen Garry, where there are fine views of the Grampian Mountains, and if you are lucky, a deer herd can often be seen grazing on the heather. Soon we reach the highest point on the British rail network at Druimuachdar Summit. 

After leaving lonely Dalwhinnie, the train enters the scenic Spey Valley, where the towering summits of the Cairngorm mountain range provide an impressive backdrop. 

On arrival in  Inverness , it’s a short walk to your hotel. Tonight why not seek out some traditional folk music played in a local pub?

Overnight: Premier Inn Inverness City Centre, Inverness (or similar) (3 nights)

Day 3 - Isle of Skye Excursion

Today head for the picturesque Isle of Skye. Leaving Inverness behind, you’ll drive through beautiful Glen Carron, stopping to view the panorama of Loch Carron and the mountains of Applecross.

After crossing “over the sea to Skye”, the magnificent mountain scenery of the Cuillin Hills is our first treat. These soaring peaks dominate the island, first the gentle Red Cuillins, then the jagged and daunting Black Cuillins. There is a photo stop where the alp-like views are at their most impressive.

The delightful town of Portree is the island's largest settlement. During our time here, why not take a stroll down to the harbour? The scene of the pastel-painted houses that overlook the bay makes for a brilliant selfie.

After lunch, we head for the Trotternish Peninsula to see the weird landscapes, including the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing. We stop at Kilt Rock, where the basalt columns are said to resemble the pleats in a kilt. From the viewing platform, watch as the Mealt waterfall plummets 60m into the sea below.    

Back on the mainland, we stop at picturesque Eilean Donan Castle . There is the chance to take photographs of this fairytale castle that featured in many films, including Highlander and The World Is Not Enough.

Enjoy a scenic drive through Glen Shiel, enjoying stunning views of the Five Sisters mountain range. Our return to Inverness will take us along the banks of Loch Ness. We’ll arrive in Inverness city centre around 19:30 hrs. 

Day 4 - Jacobite Steam Train Excursion

It’s an exciting day ahead as you look forward to a memorable journey aboard the Jacobite Steam Train , the real Hogwarts Express.

From Inverness tour through the Great Glen and make our way towards Fort William. Head towards Mallaig along the famous “ Road to the Isles ”, one of Scotland’s most famous routes.

Enjoy beautiful views over Loch Eil before stopping to view the impressive Glenfinnan Viaduct, made famous in the Harry Potter movies. You’ll cross the 21 arches of this magnificent viaduct later – by train.

Glenfinnan is also renowned for its connections to Bonnie Prince Charlie, who landed in this part of Scotland in August 1745 to raise his standard at the start of the ill-fated Jacobite Uprising . The haunting monument you can see was built to commemorate the Highlanders who lost their lives fighting for the cause.

Look out for the stunning beaches at Arisaig and hear the sad tale of the Highland Clearances that took place here before reaching the end of the road at Mallaig. This popular fishing port is just the perfect location for a freshly-landed seafood lunch.

At the station, join the train and take your seats. Departure time comes, and as the train puffs its way out of the station, an unforgettable journey along the famous West Highland Railway begins.

The steam-hauled train will pass Scotland’s shortest river, deepest loch and highest mountain along the 42-mile trip. Have your camera at the ready for a souvenir photo as the train crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, just like the Hogwarts Express!

On arrival in Fort William, reboard your coach for a scenic drive back to Inverness.

Day 5 - Inverness - Edinburgh - London

This morning enjoy an early breakfast before heading to Inverness Railway Station, where the Highland Chieftain express train is waiting.

From Inverness, catch a glimpse or two of the Moray Firth before the tracks turn southwards, and you head for the stunning beauty of the Cairngorms National Park . The range of peaks that we will see includes Ben Macdui, Britain’s second-highest mountain.

After passing through Dalwhinnie, with its famous distillery , there are beautiful vistas to enjoy as the train descends through the Grampian Mountains.

As we arrive in Blair Atholl, look out for whitewashed Blair Castle , the seat of the Duke of Atholl. He is the only person in the UK who is allowed his own private army, The Atholl Highlanders.

From Perth, travel through gentle scenery to reach the ancient city of Stirling with its impressive monument to the great Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace .

The train will follow the same route as your northbound journey from Edinburgh and is scheduled to arrive at London’s Kings Cross Station by late afternoon (subject to change).

Frequently Asked Questions

What can i expect on this freestyle train tour.

This carefully planned semi-independent tour will stretch your holiday time to the max without making you feeling rushed. A unique combination of travel by train, comfortable accommodation and quality sightseeing will give you extra time to explore Scotland in greater detail.

All the documentation you need, including your rail tickets, will be emailed to you. Just show them on your smart device as you go, if required. Any questions or if you need your documents early - just email or call us. We’re here to help.

On tour, you’ll travel independently by train to and from London. We’ll make sure you have a reserved seat, and we’ll send you a comprehensive itinerary so you know what’s happening at any time during your tour, as well as helpful city guides for you to download to your smart device.

Accommodation in Edinburgh and Inverness is provided in comfortable 3-star hotels that are just a short walk from the railway station and conveniently located for sightseeing and the tour departure points.

A tasty buffet breakfast is provided daily (except day one).

The sightseeing tours included in this package are led by an experienced driver/guide who will provide an entertaining and informative commentary in English.

What type of room should I choose?

Selecting the right sleeping arrangements can be a little bit confusing, so here is a description of what you can expect from the hotel accommodation offered as part of your tour:

Single room - this is a room for one person sleeping in a single bed. 

Twin room - this is a room for two people sleeping in two separate beds.

Double room - this is a room for two people sharing one large bed. 

Family room - this is a room for three people sleeping in one large bed (2 people) and one single bed (1 person).

Please note that a family room  is normally a standard double or twin room with either a sofa bed or a rollaway bed.

All room types, other than twin rooms, are subject to availability. 

What is the journey on the Jacobite Steam Train like?

Described as one of the great railway journeys of the world this memorable trip will take you past a list of impressive extremes.

Starting near the highest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis, it visits Britain’s most westerly mainland railway station, Arisaig; passes close by the deepest freshwater loch in Britain, Loch Morar and the shortest river in Britain, River Morar, finally arriving next to the deepest seawater loch in Europe, Loch Nevis!

The train will cross the 21-arched Glenfinnan viaduct (a location made famous in the Harry Potter films) which overlooks Loch Shiel and the Jacobite monument. The train may pause on the viaduct, time permitting, to allow you to take in the magnificent view.

Standard class tickets are included in the cost of the tour. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to upgrade these tickets to First Class.

How will I find my hotel?

This Freestyle Train Tour has been very carefully planned. Your hotel has been selected not just for its comfort but also for its location close to the railway station as well as your sightseeing requirements.

Concise directions on how to reach your hotel will be given in your customised tour itinerary. 

What meals are included?

A full Scottish breakfast is included from day 2 onwards. This hearty meal can consist of fruit juice; a choice of cereal; bakery basket; cooked items such as eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomato and, maybe, a taste of haggis! plus tea or coffee.

Vegetarian and vegan options are always available.

Lunch and dinner are not included in the price.

During the touring day there will be a stop where you can enjoy lunch in a local pub or restaurant.

View all Frequently Asked Questions...

Accommodation

• 4 nights hotel accommodation
• Location: Edinburgh (1) and Inverness (3)
• Scottish/Continental breakfast (4)

Visits, Admissions and Experiences

• Hop-on, Hop-off tour of Edinburgh
• Admission to Edinburgh Castle
• Full day excursion to the Isle of Skye with a local driver/guide
• Full day excursion to Mallaig and the Road to the Isles with a local driver/guide
• One-way Jacobite Steam Train trip with reserved seats on the West Highland Railway Line

  Tour Essentials

• Standard class train tickets from London to Edinburgh, Edinburgh to Inverness and Inverness to London
• Seat reservations on all train journeys where available
• Customised tour itinerary & Official Edinburgh and Inverness guides
• Service charges and taxes
• Admission charges unless stated above
• Meals, snacks or items of a personal nature
• Gratuity to your driver/guide

Departure information

From Kings Cross Railway Station Euston Road London N1 9AL

Check-in: 06:30 hrs Tour Departs: 07:00 hrs Tour Returns: 15:49 hrs

Child details

Child discount applies to children aged 5 to 15 years inclusive.

We’re sorry but children aged under 5 years cannot travel on this tour.

Photo-ID may be requested to confirm discount entitlement. 

Price Notes

IMPORTANT: Once booked this tour cannot be changed or cancelled

Accommodation The price of this tour includes hotel accommodation with en-suite bathroom.

Train Times The times shown above are for guidance only. The train times for your journey will be shown on your tickets and itinerary.

Documentation Tour documentation, including service vouchers and tickets, is electronic. A smart device with an IOS or Android operating system is required.

Admission Prices To give you maximum flexibility, admission fees are not included in the cost of this tour (except Edinburgh Castle). 

FAQs Please see the FAQ section for more information on this tour.

Product code   RT 02960

Blogs and Guides - discover insider tips and ideas

Customer Reviews Overall Rating:

My sister and I have nothing but praise for Scottishtours. Every aspect of our tour was organised so well, right down to directions to various pick up points. Definitely will use them again in the future.

Scottish Tours is great about answering questions on the fly, and they have a great nose for budget hotels that still deliver value. Believe me, we picked out our own budget hotel in London and whew. What a mistake. It was a miserable week. Our Scotland portion was definitely what we had wanted the entire time.

Prior to booking we had never heard of Scottish Tours, booking through them was a bit of a gamble. A good gamble though, our experience was excellent. David was an excellent communicator and all the tour information and guidance we received was extremely well prepared and organized. We highly recommend Scottish Tours.

3 day tour from £ 595.00

5 day tour from £ 1030.00

6 day tour from £ 1125.00

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The Flying Scotsman is visiting London next month – here’s how to see it

The legendary steam train is going on tour to celebrate its centenary

A legendary old-fashioned steam train will be touring around London train stations this June. To mark its centenary, the Flying Scotsman will be travelling around town for a whole month, so there will be plenty of opportunities to spot it. 

The Flying Scotsman will run round trips from various London stations throughout June.  Most tickets to ride the train on its excursions have sold out, but you’ll still be able to spot it in stations and along the routes if you’re standing in the right place. 

Now one of the most famous trains in the world, the A1 steam train first hit the railroads in 1862. Its special outings are taking place this year to celebrate the locomotive’s centenary.

If you want to catch a glimpse of the old fella, here’s where you should go.

Paddington – Wednesday, June 7

The Cardiff Express will be hauled by the Flying Scotsman from Paddington station to Cardiff, via Slough and Reading, and will return in the evening.

Euston – Saturday, June 10

The Cheshireman will be hauled by the Flying Scotsman from Euston station to Chester, via Watford Junction and Milton Keynes, and will return in the evening.

Victoria – Saturday, June 17

The Portsmouth Flyer will be hauled by the Flying Scotsman from Victoria station to Portsmouth, via Staines and Woking, and will return in the evening.

Paddington – Wednesday, June 21

The Salisbury Express will be hauled by the Flying Scotsman from Paddington station to Cardiff, via Slough and Reading, and will return in the evening.

Kings Cross – Saturday, June 24

The Great Yarmouth Flyer will be hauled by the Flying Scotsman from Kings Cross station to Great Yarmouth, via Hertford North and Stevenage, and will return in the evening.

Kings Cross – Friday, June 30

The Flying Scotsman Centenary Weekender will leave Kings Cross station in the morning.

You can find out more about the train’s journeys online . 

ICYMI:  Here’s how to win VIP tickets to Mighty Hoopla .

Plus:  Four London train stations are battling to be named the best in the UK .

• India Lawrence Contributing writer

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Full-steam ahead at 100: the Flying Scotsman set for centenary UK tour

The iconic green locomotive, which turns 100 next year, is about to leave the station for a fortnight of special trips – and celebrated by a new story book from Michael Morpurgo

I t’s looking pretty spry for a centenarian. Its body painted in mirror-finish British Rail green, its wheels and smokebox gleaming black and its name picked out in bright gold. The Flying Scotsman, the world’s most famous steam locomotive, turns 100 in February, and for the past six months has been undergoing a thorough overhaul in a Lancashire workshop in preparation for a national programme of events to celebrate its birthday.

Fans can get a first look at the famous engine this weekend at Kings Cross station in London (tickets sold out). Next week, it will arrive in Dorset in time for half-term, and run on the heritage Swanage Railway from 22 to 26 October . Before that it will be on static display at Swanage station on 20 and 21 October – and later from 27 October to 6 November – giving steam fans the chance to stand on its celebrated footplate (tickets from £10). The public will also be able to book tickets to ride behind the Flying Scotsman in a rare Pullman observation car , Car 14, which the locomotive pulled on routes in the US in the late 1960s and early 70s.

Centenary celebrations will continue in 2023 with an exhibition of artist Michael Foreman’s original watercolours in the Flying Scotsman and the Best Birthday Ever exhibition at Danum Gallery, Library and Museum in Doncaster (11 Feb-17 June 2023). There will also be a celebration in the locomotive’s home city of York from 1-16 April, which will include family activities at York station as well as the launch of a VR experience at the National Railway Museum , which takes visitors back in time.

The Flying Scotsman was built for the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway at Doncaster railway works in 1923. The cost was £7,944 – about £534,000 in today’s money. Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, the train was renowned for both its looks and engineering. It got its name a year later after it was used to pull the London to Edinburgh train service – burning about 50,000lb (22,680kg) of highly polluting coal during the return journey.

The train went on to set two world records: for the first steam locomotive officially recorded as having reached 100mph (in 1934); and making the longest non-stop run by a steam locomotive (422 miles in 1989, in Australia). During the second world war it was repainted in black , in common with all railway stock, returning to its original green after the conflict ended.

After retiring from British Rail in 1963, the Flying Scotsman had several private owners before being bought by the National Railway Museum in 2004. “The Flying Scotsman is one of the world’s most recognisable steam locomotives and still draws excited crowds wherever it goes. It is one of the jewels in the crown of our world-class collection,” said museum director Judith McNicol.

To celebrate its birthday the museum (entry free, book online) is preparing a new exhibition and film, Flying Scotsman: 100 Years, 100 Voices , that will tell the human stories behind the legend. Members of the public are being asked to share their memories of the train through film clips, diaries, letters or photographs. The film will feature 100 distinct “voices” of people connected to the locomotive, including former drivers, railway workers and passengers.

The call has also gone out to the US, which the Flying Scotsman visited in 1969. Specially fitted with a cowcatcher, a bell and a US-style whistle, it ran from Boston to New York, Washington and Houston, Texas, and the following year took in Chicago, the National Railroad Museum at Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Niagara Falls.

Also marking the centenary is a new children’s book, Flying Scotsman and the Best Birthday Ever , by one of the UK’s best-loved storytellers, Michael Morpurgo, illustrated by Michael Foreman. It features, pleasingly, a young female railway enthusiast, Iris, whose father drives the famous train, and who hatches a plan to join him in the driver’s cab one day.

“I grew up on steam trains, remember the sound of them, the smell of them, the rhythm of them. I went on holidays on them, went to school on them. So when Michael Foreman asked me to write a story about the greatest, most iconic steam locomotive of them all, I sat down at once and just did it … All the memories came flooding back,” Morpurgo said.

“I loved writing my story, but now all I want to do is fulfil a lifelong dream, to get up on the footplate of the Flying Scotsman and drive it, and be at last the engine driver I wanted to be. With me up there driving, we would be in Edinburgh faster than you could say Flying Scotsman.”

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The Whitby Flyer

Wednesday 20th march 2024.

This unusual tour by steam train visits the popular east coast seaside town of Whitby. We make our way from London to York, where our steam locomotive for the day is attached. We shall travel through Yorkshire, Teeside and the North Yorkshire Moors to reach Whitby. Our featured steam locomotive for the day will be Black 5 No. 44871.  There will be time at our destination to visit the attractions that Whitby has to offer.

Leaving London King’s Cross in the morning, we make our way northwards along the East Coast Main Line, picking up at Stevenage, Huntingdon and Peterborough. Our blue Class 86 electric locomotive will be running at speed to whisk us to York. We commence our steam haulage later that morning from York, a historic city and home of the National Railway Museum. Heading northwards, we speed along the East Coast Main Line through Thirsk and Northallerton, where we take the line to Teesside via Eaglescliffe. We now follow part of the original Stockton & Darlington Railway of 1825, engineered by George Stephenson, towards Thornaby and Middlesbrough.  The railway was the first public railway in the world to have permanent steam locomotives hauling trains. The famous Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge dating from 1911 is a prominent landmark of the area.

At Guisborough Junction, we leave the line to Redcar and Saltburn and head for Battersby on the edge of the Cleveland Hills. Here we will have to reverse direction of travel as the line no longer continues southwards from Battersby. We will now follow the attractive Esk Valley line through the northern section of the North Yorkshire Moors. This is very much a rural line that serves isolated communities and farming is the main activity these days, with walking a popular pastime from the stations along the route. We pass through Castleton Moor and Danby before we reach Glaisdale, where there is a passing loop on the single line. After Egton, we cross the Esk a number of times and reach Grosmont. Here the steam operated North Yorkshire Moors Railway has a station that sees steam trains regularly operating over the 24 miles from Whitby and Pickering.  We continue along the Esk Valley through Sleights and Ruswarp and run along side the river Esk as we pass beneath the impressive Larpool Viaduct, which formerly carried the Scarborough to Whitby railway over the valley. Boat yards and a view of the ancient abbey herald our arrival at Whitby. There will be time here to explore the many attractions the town has to offer, including the working harbour, quaint shops and restaurants, the 13th century abbey and St Mary’s church reached by the 199 steps, the Dracula museum and there is even a kipper smokery where you can buy the produce! After time in Whitby, we shall retrace our earlier route back to Battersby, Middlesbrough, Northallerton, Thirsk, arriving in York in the early evening after an interesting and varied day on rural branch lines of the north-east. Our blue electric locomotive will be waiting to take us back to London, calling to set down at our earlier pick up stations.

Available Classes

Premier Dining includes a full English breakfast and a four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

First Class includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by scone with butter and jam.

Standard Class includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

*Premier dining is not available from York

Tables for two can be guaranteed in Premier Dining and First Class for a supplement of £30 per person (subject

to availability). A buffet car is available and serves tea, coffee, snacks and light refreshments.

Catering - Further Details…

Confirmed timings shown

The Old Stables, Estuary Road, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 2HL – Phone: 01553 661 500

© 2024 | The Railway Touring Company Limited | Founded by Nigel Dobbing in 1997 | All rights reserved. This work remains the property of The Railway Touring Company Limited and may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, without permission. Website: LucidSynergy Ltd.

Journey on the Trans-Siberian: Moscow to Yekaterinburg

This is the second part of a series about my trip across Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway in the summer of 2018. I’ll cover the overnight ride from St Petersburg to Moscow, the 16 hours I spent in the Russian capital, and the two-day ride from Moscow to Yekaterinburg.

After a few days in St Petersburg I boarded the overnight train to Moscow. The sleeper train “Red Arrow” departs at 11:55pm. I read (but didn’t confirm) the departure time was set in Soviet times to leave before midnight so travelers could get reimbursed for two working days.

There were three people already in the cabin when I walked in: In one of the top bunks was a girl who looked 20-something, and on the two bottom bunks, two Brazilian men who looked like soccer fans. (It was World Cup summer.)

We exchanged muted hello’s and filled out our breakfast order forms. Without wasting time I followed the process of settling into an overnight cabin:

• Examine and unpack the supplied bedding.
• Make the bed.
• If foreigners are in the cabin, motion to them to follow your lead.
• Exit the cabin to give others room to make their bed and, if they wish, to change into sleeping attire.
• Return when appropriate, and begin smalltalk to spark a deep and cross-cultural conversation that’ll grow richer and bring you closer together with every mile of track until the morning golden hour.

Except the Brazilian men didn’t speak English, and the girl, probably on-guard, remained silent. I went to sleep.

It wasn’t the rocking that stirred me awake every hour, but the impressive guttural symphony coming from the man below me. The snores came in different tones and rhythms, transforming mid-breath with no particular pattern, which made them difficult to ignore. (A few days later, Tatiana, another cabin-mate, refuted my story by telling me sound doesn’t travel upwards. “Then he cheated physics,” I said.) I forced my earplugs deeper and felt relief that this is only a seven-hour trip.

By morning the Brazilians still didn’t speak English but the girl was more inviting. She’s a mother of two—which surprised me—and was headed to Moscow for a meditation seminar. I made whatever smalltalk I could fit between bites of fried cheese fritters until we arrived in Moscow.

It was early morning, and my first objective was to find a quiet part of the city where I can rest until some nearby coffeeshop opens. I took the metro to the nearest patch of green on Google Maps—a park called “Clean Ponds.”

The only available bench was next to a group of Russian men still drinking from the night before. One of the men was slumped over, another was drying in the sun after taking a dip in the pond, another was throwing fists at the wet one, and the rest were fighting to stay upright—only because it’s easier to keep drinking when upright. I decided against napping, and instead enjoyed the scene unfolding to my left.

A woman approached and sat next to me, holding her small dog, and complained about the park’s occupants. Following a light conversation, she lit a cigarette, told me about her (deceased) husband’s medical invention, and proposed I introduce the product to the US market in return for a cut of the profits. She did this while parrying advances from one of the men. (“I have a job and own an apartment in a good location, behind the McDonald’s,” he said.) She gave me her phone number before leaving, probably dreaming of business ventures in America that will not happen.

When the woman left, the party group noticed me. “Where the f— did you come from?!” one of them said. I was prepared to give (and take) a few hits and run, but managed to ease the tension with some jokes and handshakes.

I gave up on rest and went in search of coffee and breakfast.

Irina and Red Square

Irina is a lawyer living in Moscow who’s trying to improve her English. We met on a language-learning website, and arranged to meet in person to walk through the Red Square and practice English/Russian.

The Red Square was staged for the World Cup and crowded with tourists. It felt like the Russian version of Times Square, which I found intolerable. I snapped some shots and hurried us to lunch.

We found a Georgian restaurant just off the main boulevard and spent the next hour chatting about Russia’s legal system, language exams, graduate school, and how long could it possibly take to cook chicken.

In 2007 I was supposed to visit St Petersburg aboard my college’s training ship. My cousin warned me I should brush up on my Russian: “We have smart relatives there, don’t embarrass yourself.” I searched for Russians to chat with online and found Polina.

We spoke every other day in the months leading up to my voyage that summer. I started to like her. We made unrealistic plans for her to travel from Moscow to St Petersburg to meet me for the few days I’d be there. It never happened. Just days before my ship’s scheduled arrival, the captain diverted us to Estonia after failing to get the proper docking permits or visas for Russia. Polina and I exchanged only a few emails over the next decade.

This time, the plan worked.

We met and crisscrossed the Moskva river over bridges as we spoke of life in Russia, her newborn son, traveling, her dreams of returning to freelancing, the things we still do and those we don’t… I don’t remember where we walked or what we passed.

Is this what Captain Smith made me miss? I imagined myself at 19, and Polina getting permission from her mom to take the overnight train to St Petersburg, and my needing to return to the ship by midnight, and maybe ending up like my shipmate and the Croatian girl he fell in love with on the first day in port in Dubrovnik…

The thought made me happy but also underscored the passage of time. We were far from 19, and we both found love on native soil, and she became a mom, and I had to catch the train to Yekaterinburg before midnight.

After saying goodbye to Polina, it was time for the next segment of the Trans-Siberian Railway: A one-and-a-half-day ride to Yekaterinburg. I stocked up on ramen noodles and tea, and made my way to the train.

Riding the Trans-Siberian Railway is interesting for two reasons: The train itself, and the people on it. Life aboard the train doesn’t differ much from one segment to another, so I will write a separate article of observations and survival tips learned throughout the entire trip.

The people, however, did change with each segment. On this segment from Moscow to Yekaterinburg, as urban sprawl gave way to dense forests and wooden villages, I got to know a family from the Far North.

Tatiana, Nastia, and Sasha

My roommates for the 27-hour trip from Moscow to Yekaterinburg were Tatiana and her two children, Nastia and Sasha.

Within minutes of departure I took off my shoes to get comfortable and waited for the hallway activity to calm down before preparing for bed. Tatiana, somehow sensing my inexperience with long-distance train travel, pointed at the blue disposable slippers that came with the provided bedding and gently suggested I put them on. I thought they were silly and not for someone who’s used to rough traveling, so I responded that I’m alright in my socks. She tried to convince me a bit longer before giving up.

Moments later, I went to the bathroom—there’s one at each end of every car—and learned they’re just like airplane bathrooms: small and wet, and you don’t know from what . I returned to the cabin, changed my socks, and donned the blue disposable slippers. Tatiana looked on with approval.

They were traveling from their small military town near the Russia-Finland border (where her husband is stationed) to Novosibirsk — over 3,000 miles away — to visit her parents, as they do every summer. Airfare would cost them three months’ worth of income (by my own calculation), so they took the train, like many Russian families traveling to or from Siberia.

Our conversations spanned life in Russia, life in the US, Nastia’s college ambitions (she’s undecided between medicine and chemistry), traveling (because of the husband’s position in the military, the family is not allowed to travel outside of Russia), drawing, Russian literature, and more… We talked without end for two days while sharing food and drinking tea by the liter.

Tatiana teaches literature and Russian at their local school. She told me about life inside the arctic circle and showed me photos of polar lights, fields of flowers, her shirtless husband stepping out of a bania (a Russian sauna) and jumping into the snow, and other everyday scenes. She worried about what will happen after her husband’s military contract ends next year. She’ll miss Nastia when she stays behind in Novosibirsk for one final year of school and then university.

Tatiana also worried about my safety. She advised me to tell people I’m a local: “Your Russian is good enough,” she said, “that people will believe you and assume that your slight accent and slower pace is due to—” and she raised her fingers to her temple and did a twisting gesture. I nodded, thought for a moment, and decided that was a compliment.

Nastia is a straight-A student interested in chemistry and medicine. She’s not sure which of the two she’ll study in university, but she has another year to decide. She’ll stay with her grandparents in a small village outside of the city for another year until it’s time to attend Novosibirsk University. Although she studied english in school for several years, she never felt comfortable enough to speak it. (The faculty at their local school is made up of military spouses with little or no teaching experience.)

Nastia earns money on the side by painting custom designs on her clients’ nails. Her designs—from cartoon characters to landscapes to sunsets, all painted on half-inch-wide keratin canvases—are remarkable and belong in high-end nail salons of New York. I offered her some advice based on my consulting experience (she should charge more for more the elaborate designs). Her entrepreneurial spirit made me happy for her, maybe because it reminded me of my teenage years when I drew cartoons for money.

Sasha is just beginning to learn English, and this was his first encounter with a native speaker. He was nowhere near conversational English, so he engaged the only way he could: shouting out Russian words from his language workbook to see if I could respond with the right translation. “How do you say, um, ‘lion?’” he asked, and looked at me with a wide smile and alert eyes, waiting to hear a word that matched his notes. “Give Greg a break,” Tatiana said, more than once, after many animals were correctly translated, but I gave Sasha an approving smile to signal it’s alright. “Crocodile!?” he continued…

The next day, as the train approached Yekaterinburg in the early morning, I nudged Tatiana and Nastia awake to say “goodbye,” as they requested the night before, when we exchanged longer goodbyes and I told them how wonderful it was to meet and spend time with them. “Goodbye, Greg,” they replied, and both gave me a smile that I didn’t expect from anyone whose sleep was interrupted, who’s been on the road for weeks, who wouldn’t see her daughter (or mother) for a year, whose future was so uncertain… And still they smiled in the way that only good people do.

Previous chapter: St Petersburg Next chapter: Yekaterinburg

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http://rzdtour.com/en/?p=2083

Has anyone done this? It looks like you have to buy a group ticket? Can you just show up and buy a ticket for one person?

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Watch CBS News

How to travel around the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore: A look at the traffic impact and alternate routes

By Rohan Mattu

Updated on: March 29, 2024 / 5:01 AM EDT / CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE -- The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday  led to a major traffic impact for the region and cut off a major artery into and out of the port city. 

A bridge column was hit by a large container ship around 1:30 a.m., sending bridge workers and vehicles into the Patapsco River. A water search for six missing workers turned to a recovery effort Tuesday night.

Drivers are told to prepare for extra commuting time until further notice.

Alternate routes after Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse

Maryland transit authorities quickly put detours in place for those traveling through Dundalk or the Curtis Bay/Hawkins Point side of the bridge. The estimated 31,000 who travel the bridge every day will need to find a new route for the foreseeable future. 

The outer loop I-695 closure shifted to exit 1/Quarantine Road (past the Curtis Creek Drawbridge) to allow for enhanced local traffic access. 

The inner loop of I-695 remains closed at MD 157 (Peninsula Expressway). Additionally, the ramp from MD 157 to the inner loop of I-695 will be closed. 

Alternate routes are I-95 (Fort McHenry Tunnel) or I-895 (Baltimore Harbor Tunnel) for north/south routes. 

Commercial vehicles carrying materials that are prohibited in the tunnel crossings, including recreation vehicles carrying propane, should plan on using I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) between Essex and Glen Burnie. This will add significant driving time.    

Where is the Francis Scott Key Bridge? 

The Key Bridge crosses the Patapsco River, a key waterway that along with the Port of Baltimore serves as a hub for East Coast shipping. 

The bridge is the outermost of three toll crossings of Baltimore's Harbor and the final link in Interstate 695, known in the region as the Baltimore Beltway, which links Baltimore and Washington, D.C. 

The bridge was built after the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel reached capacity and experienced heavy congestion almost daily, according to the MDTA. 

Tractor-trailer inspections

Tractor-trailers that now have clearance to use the tunnels will need to be checked for hazardous materials, which are not permitted in tunnels, and that could further hold up traffic. 

The MDTA says vehicles carrying bottled propane gas over 10 pounds per container (maximum of 10 containers), bulk gasoline, explosives, significant amounts of radioactive materials, and other hazardous materials are prohibited from using the Fort McHenry Tunnel (I-95) or the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895).  

Any vehicles transporting hazardous materials should use the western section of I-695 around the tunnels, officials said. 

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Rohan Mattu is a digital producer at CBS News Baltimore. Rohan graduated from Towson University in 2020 with a degree in journalism and previously wrote for WDVM-TV in Hagerstown. He maintains WJZ's website and social media, which includes breaking news in everything from politics to sports.

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Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

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Home » Prices and Trans-Siberian Tickets » Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

Ticket prices for the Trans-Siberian Railway also depend on the current ruble exchange rate.

Is the Trans-Siberian Railway expensive?

Before starting on your Trans-Siberian Railway adventure you naturally want to know what the entire trip will cost. Although this sounds like a simple question, it is pretty difficult to answer. The Trans-Siberian Railway price of travel depends on the following factors:

• Which travel class do I want to use? The price for a first class ticket is about three times the price of a 3rd class ticket
• Am I willing to buy the tickets myself and assume responsibility for the organisation of the trip?
• How many stopovers do I want to make? The more breaks, the higher the total price.
• What sort of accommodation do I want? Will it be a luxury hotel or will a hostel dormitory be sufficient?
• What tours and excursions would I like to go on?
• What is the current exchange rate for rubles?

Basically, everything from a luxury to a budget holiday is available. If you buy yourself a 3rd Class nonstop ticket at the counter, a few hundred Euros will cover the price. All you will experience is a week on the Trans-Siberian train and will see nothing of the cities on the way. There is, however, any amount of room for upward expansion. Everyone makes different choices about which aspects they are willing to spend money on. I personally prefer to save money on accommodation and railcar class, visit as many cities and do as many trips as possible. To enable better classification of your travel expenses I have contrasted two typical traveler types. In the third column you can calculate the total cost of your own journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that these are only rough estimations and not exact prices.

The all-in costs seem fairly high at first. However, they cover everything and it is quite a long journey taking four weeks. Many people forget to consider that when looking at the list. We should also deduct the running costs for food and leisure at home. I think most visitors to this page will classify themselves somewhere between the two categories, that is around the € 2,000 – € 2,500 range. When comparing these prices with other travel packages, you get the impression that it is hardly worthwhile travelling individually on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that most packages last no more than 14 days and you are herded like cattle through the most beautiful locations.

If you spend less time on the Trans-Siberian Railway you will, of course, pay less. I chose this particular travel length because I prefer not to do things by halves. If you fulfill your dream of travelling on the Trans-Siberian Railway, enjoy it and don’t rush things. But it’s up to you, of course. Try playing around with the form a bit to find the appropriate price for your trip.

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